
Conducting a criminal history background check has become a common thing today as people are getting more conscious about the safety and security aspect. This article shares some insights on these background check so that you too can avoid unwanted events in life.
It happens many times, that we trust unknown people blindly and they backstab us. There are so many cases where people hire unknown employees, be it a maid, a driver, or a caregiver and by the time they find out about their criminal background they have harmed you. It can also happen when you become friends with unknown people or new neighbors. In fact, you never know ‘who is what’. It does not mean that you cast doubt on every unknown or new person you meet.
All you have to do is to be a little alert and cautious before you trust someone. It is always advisable to use your common sense and gut instinct while dealing with less known people. You must try to know more about them before you get very friendly with them and of course, asking them about every detail of their past life is certainly not the solution. But there is one way you can do it and that is, conducting the background check of the individual you are not sure about.
Ways to Find Out the Criminal History
It is always better to be safe than sorry and hence, more and more people carry out criminal background checks to avoid unwanted experiences and events. If you too wish to be safe then go through the following content that informs you about some of the ways you can gather information about the criminal background of a person.
Free Online Criminal Background Checks
There are many websites that offer you background checks. All you have to is provide them with some primary information about the person, such as, his or her social security number, name, and date of birth, etc. Using the primary information they provide you with detailed criminal background of the person, if any.
Paid Online Criminal Background Checks
Similar to free online criminal background checks, there are few websites which offer to conduct a criminal background check of an individual but you have to pay them a certain amount. The charges generally depend on how much information you need about the person. In this case too, you need to provide them with primary information about the person so that they can proceed with further detailed search.
Online Free Public Records
Today, both the state and federal governments have their own well maintained and well updated websites where civilians can view the criminal records of a person free of charge. You may find public marriage records, criminal court records, public arrest records, and detained records, etc. It is also possible to get a criminal history report from the online free public records which are provided by the government.
Direct Applications to Government
Well, not all the state or federal governments provide criminal records online. In such cases, you need to sent a written application to the government which also has to include some of the primary details of an individual you are trying to carry a criminal check on. You may also have to pay certain administration charges to get the desired information. You may have to wait for a few days to get the detailed information.
Apart from this, private companies, detective agencies, and private investigators too can conduct a criminal history background check on your behalf, for which, obviously you have to pay a certain amount.
Well, but according to experts, it is wiser to go for paid services as they are more authentic and reliable. With free services, especially, online services, the possibility for errors and incomplete or inappropriate information is always there, which may lead to wrong decisions from your side. Hence, if possible always go for paid services. In fact, you can first go for free services and find out the basic information about the person and then later this same information can be used to conduct detailed criminal background check by the paid service provider. So, go ahead, try to know more about people around you, be alert and live a safe life!